NFL: Carolina Panthers 26-31 New Orleans Saints – as it happened!

Carolina gave New Orleans an almighty scare at the end of that one.

The Panthers were able to limit Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram in the run game but Drew Brees enjoyed huge gains in the air. Brees ended the day with two touchdowns and 376 passing yards.

Carolina managed to get going offensively in the second half but scored just one touchdown in four trips to the red zone. Graham Gano’s field goal miss in the first quarter also proved costly.

Thanks for your company, bye!

Drew Brees takes the knee and the New Orleans Saints progress through to the divisional round next weekend to face the Minnesota Vikings.

What a finish that was!

Cam Newton is sacked on fourth down and the Saints will win this one 31-26.

Panthers 26-31 Saints, 00:11 4th quarter

Incomplete to Devin Funchess in the end zone. This is the ballgame. 4th and 23.

Now the officials say there should be a 10-second run-off following the grounding call. 24 seconds remain. It’s 3rd and 23.

Panthers 26-31 Saints, 00:34 4th quarter

Newton gets flagged for intentional grounding under pressure and unable to find a receiver. Carolina is now at the 34 yard line.

Panthers 26-31 Saints, 00:46 4th quarter

Carolina gets a first down on a holding penalty. They’re at the 21 yard line. The Panthers have no timeouts.

Panthers 26-31 Saints, 0:52 4th quarter

Three quick completions move the Panthers to the Saints 26-yard line. It’s now 2nd and 10.

Brees can’t find anyone open and Mike Adams makes the pick to give Carolina the ball at their own 31. Here we go.

The Saints are going for it! This is the game right here.

Panthers 26-31 Saints, two-minute warning 4th quarter

The Panthers stop the Saints short. It’s 4th and 2 and Carolina will get the ball back with around two minutes remaining.

Panthers 26-31 Saints, 2:27 4th quarter

The Saints have another third down. This is the biggest play of the game so far. Can Carolina stop New Orleans?

Panthers 26-31 Saints, 2:30 4th quarter

The Saints get the ball back. Mark Ingram gets stuffed on second down to bring up 3rd and 6. This is a big play with time running out. Brees finds Michael Thomas on the left sideline to get a new set of downs. The Saints have the ball at the 50. Carolina uses their second timeout. They have one left.

McCaffrey’s 56-yard touchdown:

Newton connects with rookie running back Christian McCaffrey for a catch and run 56-yard touchdown pass to make it 31-26. This game isn’t over just yet..

Panthers 19-31 Saints, 4:44 4th quarter

Cam is back in the game and gets the Panthers to midfield. There’s some suggestion that the NFL’s concussion protocol wasn’t followed correctly after the last drive, or that he wasn’t evaluated at all.

Alvin Kamara gets his first postseason touchdown on a two-yard run. The Saints are back up by 12 and time is running out for Carolina.

Panthers 19-24 Saints, 6:43 4th quarter

Cam is shown on the sideline with an icepack on his head. He did enter the medical tent but is reportedly cleared to play on. The Panthers are suggesting the visor attached to his helmet made contact with his eye on that big hit during the last series.

On the field, Brees throws a monster pass to Michael Thomas for 44 yards to move New Orleans to the Carolina five. It’s 1st and goal.

Panthers 19-24 Saints, 8:10 4th quarter

The Panthers can’t convert on third down and so are forced to punt. Michael Palardy boots it downfield but Tommylee Lewis makes a nice return. The Saints will takeover from their own 38.

Cam Newton may enter the concussion protocol after that hit. Let’s see how this unfolds.

Panthers 19-24 Saints, 9:12 4th quarter

Cam keeps the ball on first down for three yards and is then under all kinds of pressure on second down. The protection vanished and he’s sacked by a loss of ten yards. He gets smashed in the face by David Onyemata. It’s 3rd and 17 and the quarterback goes down on the field. Derek Anderson comes in at QB for the Panthers.

Panthers 19-24 Saints, 9:43 4th quarter

The Saints stall and it’s 3rd and 12. Brees is under pressure from the snap but evades the pass-rush and avoids the sack, he looks downfield but doesn’t have a target and throws it away. New Orleans punts.

Carolina will start from their own 17 after the fair catch by Kaelin Clay. Less than 10 minutes remain.

Panthers 19-24 Saints, 10:47 4th quarter

The Saints have just 35 yards on the ground today. Carolina needs to stop Brees in the air to stay in this. But the Saints quarterback completes passes to Josh Hill and then Willie Snead to move the chains.

We have a ballgame! The Saints force third down. Cam fires a 14-yard pass to tight end Greg Olsen who brings it in for the touchdown!

Olsen had three catches for 54 yards in that drive and the Panthers have scored on five of their last six possessions.

Panthers 12-24 Saints, 13:38 4th quarter

It’s 3rd and 1 after Stewart picks up two yards. Cam Newton play-actions and then completes to Greg Olsen for 24 yards. The Panthers are inside the red zone again.

Panthers 12-24 Saints, end of 3rd quarter

Greg Olsen catches a pass for 17 yards to put the Panthers at midfield. He has five receptions for 66 yards today and looks the biggest threat in the air for Carolina. Then McCaffrey runs for seven yards to take bring up 2nd and 3 at the end of the third quarter.

There’s life in Carolina yet.

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Panthers 12-24 Saints, 1:32 3rd quarter

Alvin Kamara runs for five yards. That’s his longest rush of the day. Ingram then gets two. Brees gets sacked on third down for the first time today. The Saints punt. Here come the Panthers again.

Panthers 12-24 Saints, 3:44 3rd quarter

From their own 25, the Carolina starts again. Cam Newton gets smacked by namesake Cam Jordan on second down for a loss of nine yards. Newton does a good job holding on to the ball. It’s 3rd and 19. The pass is complete to Christian McCaffrey but it’s only good for six yards. Carolina punts it away.

New Orleans will take over on their own 17 yard line.

It’s what we all came to see:

Brees finds Brandon Coleman with a 8-yard pass. The receiver takes it to the Carolin 27 but loses the ball before hitting the ground. It’s a fumble but Mark Ingram recovers for the Saints. A let-off for New Orleans and an opportunity missed for Carolina.

The Panthers defense makes the stop though - finally - and Wil Lutz kicks his first field goal of the day from 57 yards to give New Orleans a 24-12 lead.

Panthers 12-21 Saints, 9:05 3rd quarter

Tony McDaniel’s wife is reportedly in labour. He’s been informed by Sean Payton and chosen to continue playing at defensive tackle for the Saints. On the field, New Orleans is moving the ball again and inside Carolina’s half.

Cam can’t connect with Greg Olsen on first down. The quarterback then keeps it and flies straight up the middle for a gain of six yards on second down but can’t find an open receiver on third down. The Panthers are forced to settle for another Gano field goal, his fourth, this one from 29 yards.

The Panthers are 0-3 in the red zone so far today.

Panthers 9-21 Saints, 12:35 3rd quarter

Cam fires a dart to Christian McCaffrey over the middle. It’s complete for 11 yards to the 10. 1st and goal.

Panthers 9-21 Saints, 13:18 3rd quarter

Carolina gets the ball to start the half. Jonathan Stewart bounces to the outside and makes a big 29-yard gain to take the Panthers inside the Saints’ 30-yard line. Newton rushes to the 21 to bring up a big 3rd and 2. New Orleans calls a timeout.

Drew Brees has rolled back the years at the Superdome today and his arm is the difference between the two sides right now. The Saints leaned on the run game during the regular season but here have just 14 yards on the ground. It’s been all Brees thus far. He’s completed 13/18 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns. Four Saints have 20 yards or move receiving with Ted Ginn racking up 85 yards off two completions.

Carolina had the ball for 19:24 in that first half but they’ve been unable to get into the end zone. As already mentioned, the Panthers will get the ball first in the second half. They need to capitalise and score a touchdown or else Brees and the Saints will run away from them

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